Uncle in critical condition; police believe they were unintended targets of random gunfire

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LOS ANGELES — A 2-year-old boy died after he was shot Monday night as his uncle held him outside a home in South Los Angeles, police said.

The uncle, estimated to be between 20 and 30 years of age,also was shot and was hospitalized in critical condition, LAPD officer Rosario Herrera told msnbc.com.

The toddler was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The pair were on a porch in the backyard when the shooting occurred, Herrera said. Police say they were unintended targets of random gunfire — hit by bullets that pierced a car and a fence before striking them.

The shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m. Monday on East 55th Street, Herrera said.